Six year old Emmanuel followed the crowd as they were lining up in the region of Judea to see the wise prophet all had been talking about. Jesus, they called him.

He had a special reason for wanting to see Jesus. Emmanuel was an orphan, and he had no one. He lived on the streets. His mother had died and left him to fend for himself at the age of four. He thought maybe this famous man might help him.

"Where's the line to see Jesus? He asked a man, and was promptly pushed aside. Emmanuel crawled through the ones standing and saw Jesus. He could tell right away He was some kind of Lord. He looked familiar, as if Emmanuel had seen Him before, but couldn't remember where. He knew the second he saw this man that He was someone who could help.

One of the women then pushed him forward in the direction of Jesus, but the men closest to their Lord scolded Emmanuel and pushed him back.

"Please, let me see Him!" Emmanuel cried, and was scolded again.

"Go away, now! You have no business with this man!"

Suddenly, Emmanuel heard a gentle but stern voice. "Let the children come to me, and do not stop them! The Kingdom of heaven belongs to those who are like these children!"

Emmanuel went to Jesus and was lifted up by His strong, gentle arms. Jesus held him close and spoke ever so softly. "Who are you, son?"

Emmanuel nodded. "Yes, I know you, Lord, but I am not sure where from."

"I knew you before you were born, I fashioned you in your mother's womb." Jesus said.

"My mother is gone, Lord. She died, and I don't know who my father is."

Jesus looked into the crowd and said. "Who will take this child?"

Suddenly the childless woman who had pushed him towards Jesus stepped forward and took Emmanuel by the hand and smiled. He looked into her eyes and saw who he was.

"Go with this woman, Emmanuel, and remember, God is with you." Jesus told him, and then He turned His attention to the next child in line.

Having decided to follow Christ, a few days later the woman who was now Emmanuel's mother stood with Emmanuel and they watched in horror as their Lord and Savior was crucified.

God blessed Emmanuel with a fruitful life, and when he grew to be a man he celebrated the birth of his Savior every year on Christmas day at the orphanage he built for children who didn't know who they were. He also made sure they always knew where the line to see Jesus was.

I am a 61 year cancer survivor just recently become a writer. I write short stories, articles and poems of Christian or Spritual nature.